Only at HC

The Online store is through Big four51, the exclusive supplier of Adidas custom supplied apparel to fans. 
four51.io

This arrangement is part of the HC contract with Adidas that supplies Holy Cross team branded and trademark apparel. The timeline for availability as well as delivering the merchandise is determined by Big four 51, not Holy Cross Athletics.

The article noted from the Portland Business Journal was written before the Holy Cross contract was created, but is an example of how complex some of the agreements are between colleges and the major suppliers.

www.bizjournals.com/portland/blog/threads_and_laces/2013/12/database-nike-adidas-under-armour-ncaa.html

Unlike Amazon, where the merchandise is sitting in a regional warehouse, I believe each order is supplied on a customized basis, thus the possible time delay. As an example, there are not 50 Holy Cross Basketball winter hats sitting on a shelf to be plucked and sent to you the next day. It is on need customer requested, supply chain management for Adidas products using Big four 51 as the e-commerce Application.

I would believe the same supply chain process and time lines would be the comparable for other non major conference Adidas schools. 

Disagree.

HC made a bad deal with whatever entity this is.

If this group can’t fulfill orders with this much notice, why is HC doing business with them?

If you took the time to click through the link it brings you to third party store, not a HC in-house link. Don't see how this is hard to grasp.

big.four51ordercloud.com/adidas/catalog/holy-cross-basketball

Why can't the bookstore mail out any online orders? They are right across the hall from the Post Office (last I noticed a few decades ago) and it could create a few more paid student work study hours.

I will read that article that was linked when I have time. It would be interesting to see if a low mid major college could do better by pulling it's apparel operations back in-house. I should read the article before commenting, but I can't imagine HC gets too much return from the world-wide marketing reach of an Adidas or Nike or Under Armor because who in the world outside of the immediate Holy Cross family is clamoring for HC stuff?

If you want Holy Cross generic merchandise, non Adidas, (Cutter and Buck, Vineyard Vines, Southern Cross, etc), order through the bookstore. You can buy on the shelf products in the bookstore inventory, that will have a relatively quick turnaround to you. You will not find in the bookstore an Adidas Basketball, Football, Baseball, Volleyball, etc sweatshirt. 

If you want customize, limited time available, 2019-2020 season, Holy Cross, Basketball, Adidas, Gear, the same as supplied to the Holy Cross hoops team, you have to order through four51. They are the e-commerce application portal for customized, trademark, Adidas products.

I have checked several mid major Adidas supplied schools, and they are not offering Adidas customized basketball merchandise. This offer is a good deal for fans who want specific HC Adidas basketball branded and trademark gear.

When the contract for outfitting the various teams was negotiated approximately four years ago, Adidas outbid both Nike and Under Armour in supplying uniforms and financial sponsorship.

They can and they do.

HC athletics apparel is a completely different entity than the bookstore.  Even the non-customized athletics stuff is Adidas and not  available in the bookstore.  Nothing in the bookstore can be bought from athletics, either on-line or at stands set up at sporting events.  I don't necessarily agree with the total separation, but that's how athletics wanted it and upper administration let athletics have their way.

Things can get a little dicey at reunions or homecomings etc, when somebody buys something at Hart and then later tries to exchange it in the bookstore

This deal is part of the overall deal with Adidas, and seems pretty standard these days. They know the fact order ahead of time, make only what is already sold, and then ship. It is cheaper and more efficient for them. HC gets the team gear, etc, as a part of this deal. Our bookstore does a good job with online orders and will still be available for all the other stuff.

being in the printed apparel business for 16 years, most online stores for smaller programs (College or HS) Are a HUGE RIPOFF! if I could tell you how many people come to me saying they waited over 2 months or got totally taken for their $$! They over promise and under deliver, but always make customer believe they are making this easier for them.